Improvement in trusses



J. n'. BARNES.-

`Improvement in Trusses.

No. \28,779. Patentedluly 9,1872.

E'NVENTUPV.

WITNSSES'.

STATES OFFICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN TRUSSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 128,779, dated July 9, 1872.

i SrEcrFrcArroN. Be itknown thatI, JosEPHD.BARNEs,M.D.,

of Washington city, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hernial Trusses; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, that will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to :make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon which form a part of this specification.

In the drawing, Figure l is a perspective view of a hernial truss ordinarily in use, in which A is a leather-covered spring, terminating at A in a strap, with holes g" to gauge the truss to the body and secure it. there. B isa pad or block. O is a metallic pad-carrier, turning upon the pivot D, retained at any angle by the set-screw d running in the slot d', made gaugable at the pad end with slot and setscrews E Ef, and rendered malleable at C. F is a strip of rigid metal, made gaugable at the slot G and set-screws g g', the latter' being a button-headed screw upon which the strap A fastens by means of the holes g. Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the pieces B, O, and F.

My invention consists in the construction and use of the parts O and F. I make the piece C of metal, rigid at the two extremities, but rendered malleable at the shank O. I know that a similarly-shaped piece has been employed, but not being made malleable at C it is liable to break when bent to fit the' body, and since no particular portion of the carrier is annealed to facilitate this bending, it wi1l,when strained, yield at the point of least resistance, which is usually either at the pivot D or along the slot E. If bent at the latter place the pad cannot be adjusted by means of this slot and set-screw E. I know also that a truss has been made where the spring terminates in a pad-seat with a malleable shank, but this is only gaugable by bending, and should the shank break the whole truss is destroyed and cannot be repaired. I provide the block or strip F with a slot, G,

and set-screws q g b which the length of the l a y o i truss can be varied from one inch to an inch and a half, more or less, without injuring the truss spring or its action, and thus with the slots G and E, with their set-screws, and the slot d with set-screw d, the same truss may be varied in length, and in pitch and reach of the pad sufficient to cover ordinary variations in the size of individuals, and is capable of use as a right or as a left truss, and by means of a malleable shank, G,'can be given a suitable degree of pressure without injuring the strength and correct operation of the adjacent parts.

I know that the slot dand set-screw d are old.

What I therefore claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a hernial truss the combination of slotted carrier piece O,rendered malleable at O', with the metallic strap F made gaugable by the slots G and d and set-screws g g and d, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of June, 187 2.

- J. D. BARNES, M. D.

Witnesses:

WELLS W. LEGGETE, EDM. F. BROWN. 

